DOGS AND CATS 



meek-looking, straight-haired, fat-tailed sheep is a 

 delusion and a snare. His flesh is no better, if so 

 good, as that of the average goat, and he has no 

 other recommendation of any kind. Of native 

 pigs I admit frankly I have no experience, as I 

 have always carefully avoided them. 



Having now exhausted the edible domestic quad- 

 rupeds, we turn to the dog, which we can dismiss 

 with a few words. He is the ordinary foxy-headed, 

 reddish African pariah. Fox-colour perhaps gives 

 a better idea of his prevailing hue, but it is not 

 unusual to find more or less white marking on head 

 or body where a cross may have occurred with 

 some European variety. I do not recollect having 

 seen black markings on these animals, as described 

 by other writers. This type of dbg is common all 

 over Africa, and may be seen in any native village. 

 Probably its most singular feature, and one which 

 is not without its advantages, is this animal's total 

 inability to bark. 



The cat is not in any way comparable to the 

 members of the same family found in Europe, 

 neither is it in any way so desirable a domestic pet. 

 There is a thin-faced, earnest expression about the 

 native pussy which augurs badly for the peace of 

 mind of pigeons and the security of small chickens. 

 In colour of a uniform grey, with markings which 

 recall the wild variety — with which I regard it as 

 closely connected — it never attains to the placid, 

 drowsy condition of fat, plethoric contentment so 

 often seen in the face of the pampered home-bred 

 animal, neither, if one come to regard its furtive, 

 suspicious personality, is it a type of feline upon 



